QUILTED TABLE COVERING

WHAT?!!! "Quilted Table Covering"? Yes, I have attempted to make a quilted table covering for my round oak table. My friend Marlene has a quilter friend in MN and you should see the quilted pieces she has that were gifts from her friend! They are beautiful and are all made using dark fabrics ... perfect for my taste.

When Marlene left for her summer vacation, I asked if I could photograph my favorite so I could try make it. I was sooo excited when she gave it to me to keep while she was gone! I wanted to magically duplicate it, but finding similar fabrics was impossible. And having no experience didn't help ... but I learned so much by watching tons of quilting videos on YouTube.

So where did I start? It started with a trip to explore Hobby Lobby with my friend Ellinor. I couldn't believe they had fabric. I bought a few fat quarters that I thought would work in my project. Then I visited the local quilting store to try match some of the darker fabric. They gave me hints as to where to look on line, and I found some 5" squares and yardage to order. Then finally a trip to JoAnn's nearby. Hmmm ... I wonder how much I've spent so far. Enough for several table coverings and more, I'm sure!

The cutting began. I cut some of the 5" squares in half and cut 2-1/2" x 5" pieces out of the other fabric. These would form the border. Then I started spreading the pieces on my table to see how it would look. A real mess! The real problem was the center and how to place the larger squares. I tried all combinations and none of them looked great. I didn't have the right colors. Marlene's table covering had appliqué work, and I was not going to attempt it with this first project. Maybe in my next one (????). Here are a couple layouts. So many photos were deleted....

I started sewing the smaller pieces to form the border around the center squares. The project was going to be 22" to 24" square. Then I sewed a strip of the 5" center squares. To my shock, the seams didn't match with the 2-1/2" pieces sewn together! They were too big. DUH! A senior moment. I had to cut the 5" squares into 4-1/2" squares. Then everything was okay.

It was a real learning experience, and I finished the project. I learned how to "sew in the ditch", create a binding. The next time I attempt this (!!), I'll make a 2-1/2" binding instead of 2". It would look much better. So here is the quilted table covering. Not perfect, but useable. I wish those center squares weren't so bright. The back is nice ... I can always turn it over on my darker days ...